Life preserver mattress



Nov. 19, 1935. A. BORINO LIFE FRESERVER MATTRESS Filed Aug. 51, 1954 4311884654116 1 lNV TOR ORNEY Nov. 19, 1935.

A. BORINO LIFE PRESERVER MATTRESS Filed Aug. 31, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR AT ORNEY Filed Aug. 51, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 INVEN RATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ORNEY Nov. 19, 1935. A. BoRmo LIFE PRESERVERMATTRESS Filed Aug. 51, 1954 J5 INVENT R Patented Nov. 19, 1935 UNITEDSTATES.

PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in combined mattresses and liferafts, for use particularly on board a ship, either as bedding or lifesaving equipment.

Mattresses of this character, now commercially available, are notequipped for attachment to the body of a person so that in an emergencyhe may dive overboard with the mattress beneath him, or her, as the casemay be. Neither are they adapted to be folded so that they may beconveniently carried, while attached, to a place suitable for launchingin the manner above indicated. Moreover, all such mattresses, of which Iam cognizant, are unsuitable for bedding for the reason that some embodya rigid frame which impairs their resiliency particularly at their edgesso that they are uncomfortable to sleep upon, while others areconstructed in part of cork which is too hard and unyielding for use inbedding.

With the foregoing in mind, the principal object of my invention is toprovide a buoyant mattress equipped with means for securing it to thebody of a person in an anterior position so that it may be launched as araft by the person diving in the usual manner and permit free use of thearms for swimming strokes, and which furthermore is foldable intocompact form in its attached position by the person to whom it isattached for quick and convenient carrying, will unfold in the properposition for launching in the manner described, and is sufficiently softand pliant for use as bedding yet possessed of sufficient rigidity foruse as a life raft.

In another and more specific aspect the object of my invention is toprovide a buoyant mattress formed of flexible material so that it isfoldable for carrying and suitable for bedding and including a novelharness for attaching it to the body of a person and permitting itsfolding while so attached, together with manually manipulated means forfolding the same which can be manipulated by the person to whom themattress is attached, and efficient releasable means for retaining themattress in folded position.

Other objects, such as economy in manufacture, together with the natureof my improvements will be readily understood when the followingdescription and claims are read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing in full lines my combinedmattress and raft folded and attached for use in its life savingcapacity and illustrating in dotted lines the manner in which it islaunched.

Figure 2 is a perspective view further illustrating its use as a raft.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the combined mattress and raftunfolded.

Figure 4 is a top plan view thereof in the same 5,,

condition.

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation looking at the left side of Figure4.

Figure 6 is a similar view, partly broken away and partly in section,and illustrating in full and 10 dotted lines how the combined mattressand raft is folded.

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view in side elevation illustrating manuallymanipulative means for folding said mattress and life raft and retain-15 ing it in folded position.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary View in transverse section, taken on the line8-8 of Figure 4 and drawn to an enlarged scale.

Figure 9 is a similar view taken on the line 9-9 20 of Figure 6.

Figure 10 is another similar view taken on the line l0-l0 of Figure 6.

Figure 11 is a view in bottom plan of a modified form of the invention.25

, Figure 12 is a view in top plan of said modified form.

Figure 13 is a view in transverse section taken on the line l3--l3 ofFigure 11, and drawn to an enlarged scale. 30

Figure 14 is a view in top plan showing said modified form partiallyfolded, and

Figure 15 is a view in transverse section taken on the line I5-l'5 anddrawn to an enlarged 35 scale.

Describing my invention in detail, and first with reference to thepreferred embodiment thereof shown in Figures 1 to 10 inclusive, thenumeral l designates the mattress proper which comprises a rectangularenvelope casing 2 of canvas, or heavy duck or the like, and a filler 3of kapok, or similar material, which is soft and pliant so that .themattress may be folded and which at the same time is buoyant and lightin weight. As shown in Figure 2 the mattress l is.of a width 4.5 suchthat an average size person lying thereon face downward may projecttheir arms over the sides thereof to propel the mattress in the water asby the usual breast stroke used in swimming. The length of the mattressis preferably slightly 50 less than that of the usual bed mattress. Toimpart sufficient rigidity to said mattress so that it will not undulyundulate in the water it is provided with heavy rolls 4 and 5 extendingaround its upper and lower edges, respectively, and. 55

formed by stitching said edges, as at 6 around the kapok filler. On itslower face the mattress is provided with a similarly formed rectangularroll I which is spaced from the lower edge roll 5 equidistantly at itssides and ends and which functions both as a reenforcing rib and as akeel. To secure the casing l and filler 2 together the mattress may betufted in the usual manner as shown at 8.

For securing the mattress to the body of a person a harness is providedon one side, comprising a vest 9 adjacent the front or upper end of themattress to provide for free movement of the head on said mattress. Thevest member 9, as shown in Figure 6, is formed of inner and outer pliesI and I I, respectively, of fabric, preferably canvas with anintermediate ply I2 of a suitable strengthening fabric. Suitably locatedelastic bands [3 stitched to the top edge roll 5 as at M connect theside edges of the vest 9 to the mattress so that said vest will give tofacilitate attachment of the mattress to the body and snugly fit thesame. At appropriate points the side edges of the vest 9 are cut away toprovide arm holes l5. Adjusting straps l6 provided with snap fastenersI! are stitched to one side of the mattress and pass through rings I8secured to one side edge of the vest 9 as shown in Figure 9, thearrangement being such that the vest may be taken in to tighten the sameas desired.

Secured in any suitable manner to the front, or top, end of the saidmattress I and buttoning to the vest 9 as at H! is a pair of straps 20forming a V-shaped neck yoke designed to take over the shoulders of theperson so that the weight of the mattress, when being carried issustained on the shoulders of the person and to prevent said person frombeing thrown forwardly off the mattress by the action of the water whenthe mattress is afloat. The straps 20 are provided with a plurality ofbutton holes l9 for adjusting them as desired. Intermediate the vest 9and the rear, or lower, end of the mattress is a leg strap or band 2!the ends of which are stitched, as at 22, to the sides of the mattress.

For hoisting the mattress I from the water, or carrying it by hand, atransversely extending canvas band 23 is secured thereto forwardly ofthe transverse median line of said mattress so that the latter will behoisted front end foremost and a person thereon lifted from the water ina substantially upright position. In this position said band spans thevest member 9. Preferably said band 23 is stitched to said Vest member23 to provide a loop 23' for the hand or for a hoisting hook or rope. Tosecurely attach the band 23 to the mattress I its ends are stitchedaround the upper and lower edge rolls 4 and 5 as shown at 24 in Figure10. The band 23 is connected to the side edges of the mattress by strongelastic straps 25 one of which is shown in Figure 10. The straps 25 aresuitably connected to the band 23 and to the upper edge rolls 4 to formslack loops in said band, as at 26 in Figure 10, so that said band willyield to accommodate outward yielding of the vest on the body.

In addition to the above my novel mattress is equipped with manuallymanipulative means for folding the same comprising a pull strap 2'! onits under, or rear, side having one end suitably attached to saidmattress adjacent the lower end of the latter and a free end passingthrough a keeper ring 28 secured to the upper end of said mattress by ashort strap 29. By pulling on the free end of the pull strap 2! themattress I may be folded transversely upon itself, below the vest 9, toposition substantially its lower half opposite its upper half with itsends juxtaposed, as shown in Figures 1 and 7 in which position it formsa compact bundle which may be quickly 5 and conveniently carried by theperson to whom it is attached through door ways of state rooms and downcompanion ways of a ship, and will not drag on the deck. To provide ahand grip on the pull strap 21 and to prevent it from slipping out ofthe keeper ring 28 a ring 30 is secured to the free extremity or end ofsaid strap 21. Means are provided for securing the ends of the mattresstogether when the latter is folded as follows. A short strap 3! havingsnap fastener members 32 thereon is secured to the lower, or rear end,of said mattress. The pull strap 21 is provided with snap fastenermembers 33 complemental to the members 32 and located adjacent theattached end of said pull strap so that they will be pulled through thekeeper ring 28 when the mattress has been fully folded, and may beconnected with the members 32 on the strap 3! as shown in Figures 1 and7.

Referring briefly to the use of the embodiment of my invention describedin the foregoing, before attaching the mattress to the body theadjusting straps l5 are loosened so that the vest 9 may give freelyagainst the tension of the elastic bands l3. The vest is then positionedon the body, the head of the person being inserted through the neck yokestraps 29. The straps l6 may then be used to tightly fit the vest 9about the body in a manner which will be manifest. The mattress may befolded prior to or after it is 35 attached to the person by manualmanipulation of the pull strap 21 as previously described. When themattress has been carried to a favorable position for launching, thestrap 21 is pulled rearwardly to disconnect the snap fasteners 32 and33, and said strap is then released thereby permitting said mattress tounfold by gravity. After the mattress is launched the person thereon mayinsert his legs beneath the leg strap 2! for greater security ifdesired.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Figures 11 to 15 themattress proper comprises an intermediate section 34 and narrower sidesections 35 and a casing 35 forming hinge connections 31 between theintermediate section and each side section extending longitudinally ofthe mattress so that the latter may be folded back over the lower orrear face of said intermediate section, as shown in Figures 14 and 15.In this position of the sections 34 and 35 the mattress is folded andits ends secured together in the same manner and by the same meansdescribed with reference to the preferred embodiment of the invention.The vest 9, however, is connected at its side edges to the sides of theintermediate section 34 as indicated in Figure 12.

A pull cord or cable 38 is trained through rings 39, suitably secured toouter edges of the side sections 35 and also through a ring 4i? securedto the intermediate section 34 with its ends terminating at the upper orfront end of the mattress and so that by pulling on said ends the sidesections 35 will be folded back over the intermediate section. The endsof said cord 38 are secured to a ring 4! sliding on the pull strap 2'!so that said ends cannot be inadvertently pulledout of the rings 32 andM2. The manner in which this form of the invention is used issubstantially the same as previously described with the exception thatthe sections 35 must be folded back prior to folding the mattress andunfolded prior to launching. The manner in which these operations areaccomplished will, it is believed, be manifest. It may be stated,however, that by virtue of the folding sections the mattress is reducedin width when folded so that it may be carried with ease throughunusually narrow places such as hallways and very narrow state roomdoors.

A combined mattress and life raft constructed as described in theforegoing is light and durable, readily and securely attached to thebody and can be folded by the person to whom it is attached with slighteffort on the part of said person. By flattening out the vest 9, band23, and leg strap 2! and unbuttoning the neck yoke straps iii] themattress may be used as bedding equipment.

Although I have described a preferred form of my invention and onemodification thereof as embodying certain specific features ofconstruction, it is to be understood that right is herein reserved tomodification of such features and other changes falling within the scopeof the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A life raft comprising a buoyant rectangularly shaped mattress forsupporting the body of a person, said mattress being foldabletransversely to facilitate its being carried by said person andincluding a harness for attaching the mattress to the body of theperson, manually manipulative means for folding said mattress andincluding, a pull strap secured to said mattress adjacent one endthereof, a keeper ring secured to the other end of said mattress andthrough which said strap passes, and means for retaining the mattress infolded position and including a strap secured to the first-mentioned endand having snap fastener members thereon, and snap fastener members onsaid pull strap complemental to the first-mentioned members andengageable with the latter in the folded position of said mattress bylooping said pull strap around said ring.

2. A combined sleeping mattress and life raft comprising anon-inflatable buoyant flexible mattress for supporting a person inrecumbent position and including a harness for attaching the mattress tothe body of the person in an anterior position, said harness including anoninflatable and foldable fiat vest member yieldingly connected to saidmattress, manually manipulative means operable from the head end onlyfor tightening said vest member against the body of said person,'andneck yoke straps permanently connected to said mattress and detachablyconnected to said vest.

3. A life raft comprising a flexible mattress having rolled upper andlower edges, respectively, and provided on its lower face with acontinuous roll spaced from the lower edge roll to re-inforce theintermediate under portion of said mattress and to act as a keeltherefor.

4;. A combined sleeping mattress and life raft comprising anon-inflatable self buoyant mattress for supporting the body of a personin recumbent position and including a harness at one side adjacent oneend thereof for securing the mattress to the body of the person in ananterior position, said mattress being foldable transverselyintermediate its ends while attached to facilitate carrying the same,and having connected to its opposite ends means manually manipulative atthe head end only by the person to whom said mattress is attached forfolding the same, and releasable means for retaining the mattress infolded position.

5. A combined sleeping mattress and life raft comprising anon-inflatable self buoyant mattress end only for folding said mattressanteriorly of 1 the body of said person, and releasable means forretaining the mattress in a folded position until launched by thewearer.

6. A combined self buoyant sleeping mattress 15 and life raft forsupporting the body of a person 1 in recumbent position in a bed as wellas in water, said mattress being non-inflatable and including a foldableflat harness at one side adjacent one end thereof for securing themattress to the body 20 of the person, said mattress being foldabletrans- I versely to facilitate carrying the same and having securedthereto at the foot end manually manipulative folding means extending toand positively positioned at the head end of the mattress. 25

7. A combined sleeping mattress and life raft l set forth in claim 6wherein said mattress comprises main section and side sections which arefoldable upon said main section longitudinally of the mattress, andmanually manipulative means for folding said sections.

8. A combined sleeping mattress and life raft set forth in claim 6wherein said mattress comprises main section and side sections which arefoldable upon said main section longitudinally of the mattress, ringscertain of which are secured to the side edges of said side sectionswhile others are attached to said ma n section, and a draw cord threadedthrough said rings and operable from one end of the mattress for foldingsaid side 40 sections on the main section.

9. A combined self buoyant non-inflatable sleeping mattress and liferaft for supporting the body of a person in recumbent position in a bedas well as in water, said mattress including a foldable 45 flat harnessat one side adjacent one end thereof for securing the mattress to thebody of the person in an anterior position, said mattress being foldabletransversely intermediate its ends while attached to facilitate carryingthe same, and hav- 60 ing connected to its opposite ends means manuallymanipulative at the head end only by the person to whom said mattress isattached, for folding the same.

10. A combined self buoyant non-inflatable 55 sleeping mattress and liferaft for supporting the body of a person in recumbent position in a bedas well as in water, said mattress including a foldable flat harness forattaching said mattress to the body of the person, said harnessembodying 60 a non-inflatable vest member yieldingly secured to saidmattress, at one side adjacent one end thereof and manually manipulativemeans for tightening the vest member about the body of said person. 65

11. A combined self buoyant non-inflatable sleeping mattress and liferaft for supporting the body of a person in recumbent position in a bedas well as in water, said mattress including a foldable flat harness forattaching the mattress to 70 the body of a person and embodying anon-inflatable vest member at one side adjacent one end of the mattress,resilient bands yieldingly connecting said vest member to said mattress,and manually manipulative means for connecting the 75 vest memberagainst the body of said person, the rings secured to said vest andthrough which said straps are looped, and strap fasteners on said strap.

12. A combined sleeping mattress and life raft comprising a self buoyantrectangular non-inflatable mattress for supporting the body of a personand foldable transversely to facilitate its being carried by saidperson, and including at one side adjacent one end a non-inflatablefoldable fiat harness for attaching a front of the mattress to the bodyof the person, and manually manipulative means for folding said mattressand including a strap secured to the mattress adjacent the foot thereof,and a keeper ring for said strap secured to the head end of themattress, said strap extending through said ring.

ANTONIO BORINO.

